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CNET First Look

Rain, shine or smoke, the Halo+ wants to keep you safe

The Halo+ adds weather alerts to a smart smoke detector, and believe it or not, they're more helpful than annoying.

1:28 / 26 June 2017

Transcript

[MUSIC]
If I see the name Halo, a smoke detector probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind.
This guy's full name is the Halo+ Smart Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm with Weather Alerts and believe it or not It's worth considering right along side the popular nest protect.
So you hear weather alerts and you might think the last thing you need is a smoke detector blasting in your ear whenever it rains.
Fortunately Halo's smarter than that.
It lets you know about inclement weather by flashing blue telling you what's up and tuning to a local weather station.
You can even fully customize what weather events you want to know about.
Obviously, this guy detects smoke and carbon monoxide as well, plus it does all the basics you'd expect of a smart detector.
It will send you push alerts and track your alarm's history in the app.
You can turn on a light and change the color.
You can even turn on Party Mode, for some reason.
The light isn't motion sensitive, which is too bad.
And Halo doesn't work with as many other smart home devices, as Nest.
But it does work with Alexa, and the Amazon Echo, so you can turn on the light with your voice.
It also works with smart home platforms, SmartThings, and Iris by Lowe's.
So you can flash your smart bulbs, in case of emergency.
This guy is $130 versus $100 for the Nest Protect.
It's available for less without the weather alerts, but that's a big part of its unique appeal to me.
And I'd call the Halo Plus worth considering, especially if you live in an area that's prone to inclement weather.

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